Drying kiln



Apr; 24, 1923.

v l1,452,928 E. E` PERKINS DRYING KILN Filed March 5. 1921 Patented Apr.; 24, 1923.

IJNEIE SIAIES ELMER E. PERKINS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Devine KILN.

Application filed March 5, 1921.

Y 10 all w wm t mary 00u-cera.'

Be it known that I, Enunn E. InRKiNs, a citizen of the `United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Drying` Iilns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates in general to drying kilns, and has more particular reference to kilns employed for drying finished articles which have been suppliedwith a finishing coat of paint, varnish, or the like.

In kilns of this character, it is necessary that the articles or objects to be dried be deposited or placed Within the drying room, usually upon trucks. In the loading and unloading of the room, more or less dust is brought into the room when it is open, and unless some provision is made for Washing the air to remove the dust therefrom, this dust will collect upon the Wet surfaces of the articles to be dried, and impair the finish and lustre of 'the same.

One of the primary purposes of my present invention is to remove the dust particles from the air in the room so that these particles will not settle on the objects to be dried, 'thus permitting` the production of a smooth, lustrous finish unimpaired by any dust collecting thereon. i

Another object of the invention is to maintain a circulation of air in the room around the objects to be dried, thus eXpediting and facilitating the drying operation.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will ibe readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood, by refer ence to 'the following description when con# sidered in connection with the accompanying drawing, the single figure of Which illustrates in perspective a drying kiln embodying my invention. A

Referring now to the dra-Wing more in detail, it Will be observed that the kiln com prises a drying room surrounded by a plurality of Walls 5, having dead air spaces 6 therebetween to effectively heat-insulate the room, and thus increase its etiiciency.

The articles to be dried are placed in this room, usually through doors in one of the end Walls thereof, and when the kiln has been loaded, the doors are closed, thus precluding the admission of more air, or the escape of the air already in the kiln. Since no more air can enter, the only dust that can be deposited on the articles to be dried is Serial No. 449,798.

that carried by the air already in the kiln, and it is for the purpose of removing this dust Vthat my present invention is devised.

After the kiln has been loaded, the temperature is raised to the 'desired point by heating means disposed at one side of the kiln, and near to the Hoor. The heating means illustrated in this instance comprises a series of steam coils 7, to which steam is supplied from any suitable source, the amount being regulated by a valve S, which is preferably connected to and automatically controlled by a thermostat 9 of any Well known or preferred construction positioned Within the drying room. For purposes of facilitating circulation of the air Within the room, these coils, instead of being arranged vertically, are preferably mounted upon inclined brackets 1l, so that the coils are disposed at an incline to the vertical to expose maximum surface to a rising` column of air.

The air Washingapparatus is disposed remote from the heating means, and in the present instance, is shown atthe opposite side of the kiln, and thisy Washing apparatus is spaced upwardly a considerable distance from the floor in order that the air which is Washed and also' incidentally cooled, will drop along that side of the kiln to the floor along which it will travel to the heating Vmeans,whereupon as it is heated, it Will rise,

thus .maintaining a circulation Within the room. rIhe Washing apparatus comprises a Water supply pipe 12 extending longitudinally of the kiln and equipped at suitable intervals With discharge spray nozzles 13, each of which is adapted to deliver a spray of Water. Collecting devices in the form of dish-shaped defiectors 14 are mounted upon suitable supporting brackets 15 in spaced relation to the respective spray nozzles so that the Water issuing from the nozzles is collected by these deiectors an d caused to drop into a trough lb extending longitudinally of the kiln beneath the deflec'tors, and by which the Water is delivered outside the drying room at one end thereof. The supply of Water to the spray nozzles may be con# trolled by a valve (not shown), and it Will be manifest that the air passing` downwardly through the Water sprays Will be relieved of the dust Which it carries, the dust being taken up by the Water and discharged from the kiln.

After the Washing apparatus has run for a suicient length of time to thoroughly clean the air in the kiln, further Washing is obviously unnecessary, and the circulation of air may thereafter be maintained by a cooling device in the form of Water coils 17 mounted upon brackets 18 in proximity to the cooling apparatus, or at any rate, a sufficient distance from the Hoor to insure circulation. The supply of Water to this cooling device may be controlled by a valve 19 which is either automatically or manually regulated, as preferred.

Should conditions require a rapid circulation of air, the Washing apparatus and the coiling coil 17 may be operated simultaneously, if desired, but for most purposes, l have found that it is preferable to run the Y Washing apparatus for a certain period sufficient to thoroughly Wash and cleanse the air in the kiln, whereupon this apparatus may be shut off and the circulation thereafter maintained in the kiln solely by the closed coil 17.

lt Will be apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a kiln which is adapted to produce the requisite heat which Will effectually dry the articles therein, that the dust is removed from the air in the kiln by a. Washing operation Which takes the dust from the air and delivers it outside the kiln, and that by heating the air at one side of the room and cooling it at a point remote from the cooling` means. a circulation of the air Within the room and around the articles to be dried is maintained, Which enables the articles to be dried in a minimum period of time.

It is believed that myinvention, its construction, mode of operation, and many of its advantages Will be understood from the foregoing Without further description, but it should be obvious that the structural details disclosed are capable of Wide modification and variation Without departing from the essence of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A. drying kiln, comprising a heat insulated room, heating means mounted at one side of said room near the floor, and means near the opposite side of said room remote from the floor for Washing the air to remove the dust therefrom and cooling the same to maintain in conjunction With said heating means a circulation of air within said room.

2. A drying kiln, comprising a heat insulated room, heating means disposed at one side of said room near the floor, and air Washing and cooling means at the opposite side of the room remote from the floor, said last mentioned means including a plurality of Water spraying devices.

3. A. drying kiln, co-mprising a heat insulated room, heating means disposed at one side of said room near the floor, and means spaced from the floor remote from said heating means for Washing the air in said room, said last-mentioned means including a Water supply pipe, a plurality of spray nozzles connected thereto, and means lfor collecting theivater delivered by said nozzles.

Il. A drying kiln, comprising a heat insulated room, heating means disposed near the floor thereof, an air Washing means remote from the floor, said air Washing means including a Water supply pipe, a plurality of spray nozzles, means for collecting the Water delivered by said nozzles, and a trough for conducting said Water to a point outside the room.

5. A drying kiln, comprising a heat insulated room, heating means disposed near the floor thereof, a plurality of spray nozzles, means for collecting the Water delivered by said nozzles, and cooling coils arranged in proximity to said nozzles.

6. A drying kiln, comprising a heat insulated room, means for heating the air therein, air Washing means positioned remote from said heating means, and cooling coils beneath said washing means.

7. A drying kiln, comprising a heat insu lated room, heating means disposed at one side of said room near the floor thereof, a plurality of spray nozzles at. the opposite side of said room above the level of said heating means, a collector for each of said nozzles, and a trough immediately beneath said collectors b v Which the Water discharged from said nozzles is delivered from said room.

8. A drying kiln. comprising a heat insulated room. heating means disposed at one side thereof near the floor, a plurality of lOl) spray nozzles at the opposite side of the room above the level of said heating means, a collector for each of said nozzles, a trough for delivering the Water collected by said collectors, and cooling coils disposed beneath said trough.

ELMFJR E. PERKINS. 

